Terminal sheath



Um. H7, 1967 G. B. MARKS 3,347,976

TERMINAL SHEATH Filed Oct. 25, 1965 F IGI.

5/ 52 /v EXTRU DER 5/ L COOLER gREss v MENTOR; GEORGE B. MARK 5 ATTYS.

United States Patent f 3,347,976 TERMINAL SHEATH George B. Marks, 205 S. Trooper Road, Norristown, Pa. 19401 Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 504,043 Claims. (Cl. 174-41) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sheath, and sheath and terminal combination for insulating a junction Where two or more conductive elements may be connected. The sheath includes an openended tube having a slit extending longitudinally from one open end of the tube, less than the length of the tube and greater than the length of a portion of the terminal to be housed interiorly of the unslit portion of the tube. Closely adjacent the slit end of the tube is an aperture which is circumferentially positioned substantially opposite the slit, the slit portion of the tube adapted to be opened for placement in circumferential overlapping relation with the portion of the tube which houses the one portion of the terminal.

The present invention relates to a novel insulator, and more particularly to an insulator for use in conjunction with terminals or connectors having at least one tubular and exposed metal portion for receiving a wire therein.

Insulation piercing terminals having bullet type receptacles and three-way or Y connector terminals are well known in the art, but have one common disadvantage. This disadvantage manifests itself when the terminal is provided with no other support save its connecting wires and actually becomes dangerous, because of the possi bility of shorting against adjacent metallic wall portions, when utilized in motor vehicles or the like which undergo road vibrations. Typically, a common practice when making wire connections to terminals such as above described, as to wrap insulating tape around the exposed portion of the terminal to thus prevent shorts against adjacent metallic objects.

For example, the common three-way terminal (sometimes called a three-way or Y connector), which provides for crimp connection thereto of three wires, is utilized in truck bodies to provide connectors from the electrical supply system to cab lights, tail lights or the like. Conventionally, as the electrical source is located in or adjacent to the engine in the forward part of the cab of the truck, wires must be extended through the cab and back through the body or truck trailer and thereafter through the three-way terminal connecting lights or the like. It has been the practice in the industry to wrap the threeway terminal with insulating tape to prevent inadvertent contact of the terminal with the chassis or body which usually acts as a common ground return for the electrical supply source. In this manner shorts are hopefully prevented. In practice, however, six months to a year later the tape works itself'loose due to variations in weather conditions, vibrations, etc., unwraps from the terminal and thus exposes it to the afore-mentioned shorting conditions.

As is well known the insulation piercing terminal having a bullet type receptacle is conventionally used on a wiring rig when it is desired to make contact and tap off current from a common wire. For example the U-Haul-It type trailer connection for rear lights on the trailer is made to the tail lights of the vehicle to which it is attached. However, U-Haul-It does provide an insulator comprising an injection molded tubular portion fittable over the bullet type receptacle and having an eye adjacent one end thereof which permits wrapping the insulator over the 3,347,976 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 insulating piercing portion and connecting it to a button integrally formed by the injection molding process on the body of the tubular portion. It has been found, however, that changes in humidity and temperature as well as vibrations cause these insulators to unwrap from around the insulation piercing portion of the terminal, and the terminal is liable to short upon continued vibration occurring.

In view of the above it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an insulator which permits of sure insulation between the terminal and adjacent bodies.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an insulator especially adapted for its safety qualities in its ability to maintain the desired insulation regardless of interfering influences such as moisture and weather conditions under which the expansion and contraction of the cover or sheath components in time cause loosening and displacement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an insulator which is inherently relatively immune to vibrations which may occur in motor vehicles, machines, buildings, and the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an insulator which is constructed in such a simple and novel manner as to permit quick and easy application of the same to a terminal while permitting manufacture of the same at relatively low costs.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following specification and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the novel process by which the insulator of the present invention is manufactured;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are front and side views of an insulator manufactured in accordance with the method illustrated in FIG. 1 and showing as an example a typical insulation piercing terminal to which the insulator may be applied;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are front and side views respectively of the position of the terminal positioned in the insulator shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are side and front views respectively illustrating the terminal in its secured position enclosed by the insulator;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the insulator and terminal illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 9 is a front view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating a connector of a different type in the insulator shown in FIGS. 2-8;

FIG. 10 illustrates the insulator and connector shown in FIG. 9 wherein the insulator encloses the connector;

FIG. 11 is a front view of another connector type having wires soldered thereto and positioned in an insulator such as illustrated in FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 12 and 13 are front and rear views of the insulator secured to the terminal shown in FIG. 11.

Referring now to the drawing, and especially FIG. 2 thereof, a novel insulator 10 for a terminal 15 having at least one tubular portion 16 for the receipt, and in the illustrative instance, connection to a first conductive element such as a wire. In the present instance, the terminal 15 is of the insulation piercing type having what is commonly known in the art as a bullet type receptacle which corresponds to the tubular portion 16. The insulation piercing portion 17 of the terminal 15 is U-shaped in construction and contains teeth 18 internally of the U in order to pierce the insulation 19 whereby contact with a wire 20 of a cable or the like is effected.

In accordance with the invention, the insulator 10 comprises an open ended tube 11 having means defiining a slit 12 extending longitudinally from one end 13a thereof, and a portion 13b at the other end thereof the terminal 15. Adjacent the end of the tube 13a and axially spaced therefrom is an aperture 14, circumferentially spaced approximately 180 from the slit 12. The end of the tube associated with the slit 12 is adapted to be placed in circumferential overlapping relation with the other end 13b of the tube.

With the type of terminal 15 as heretofore described, it is necessary that the insulator 11} cover both the insulation piercing portion 17 and the tubular or bullet receptacle portion 16 of the terminal. To this end, and in order to provide easy connection of the insulator so that it will not work free upon vibrations or the like occurring, the insulating material of which the insulator is composed is a flexible material and by providing a slit 12 of a length in excess of one-half of the length of the tube, the tube 11 is foldable transverse to its axis in order that the aperture may be aligned axially of the other end 13c of the tube. Thus upon insertion of the terminal 15 into the portion 13b of the insulator, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, and folding of the end 13a of the tube 11 whereby the aperture 14 is in axial alignment with the one end 130, the insertion of a when or the like through the aperture 14 into the tubular portion 16 of the terminal 15 secures the insulator as well as the wire 22 to the terminal 15. (See FIGS. 6, 7, and 8.)

As is evident from FIGS. 7 and 8, folding the end 13a of the tube associated with the slit 12 permits the full unfolded width 23 to overlap the insulation piercing portion 17 of the terminal 15. In addition, the natural tendency of the slitted portion of the tube to maintain its tubular form provides a circumferential overlap of the other end 13b.

Another connector or conventional terminal 30 is illustrated in FIGSS. 9 and 10 for use in conjunction with an insulator 10 such as heretofore described. In the illustrated instance, the terminal 30 is a three-ring terminal locked together at its center by a rivet -or the like 31, which terminal is sometimes referred to as a three-way or Y connector. The terminal 30, like the terminal '15, is

a standard electrical hardware item which is used principally to tap a power or current source to two or more branches. The terminal contains three connectors 32a32c, each of which normally has its own insulating sleeve circumscribing the portion of the connector to which a wire is connected, in the present instance by crimping, as at 33. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the portion 13b of the insulator '10 is placed over one of the connectors, 320 in the present instance, and the end of the'tube '11 having'the aperture 14 therein is folded transverse to the axis of the tube so as to align the aperture with the terminal end 13c of the tube 11. Thereafter a wire 34 is inserted through the aperture 14 into the connector 320 and the connector 32c is crimped through the insulator. (See FIG. 10.)

In certain instances it may be desirable to provide a soldered connection between a wire or a pair of wires and the source wire, and as the portion 13b adapted to receive the receptacle with the terminal covers the same, as in previous embodiments, it is impossible to solder with the portion 13b in place. In accordance with another feature of the invention, auxiliary means must be provided to operate in conjunction with the aperture 14 of the tube 10 to secure the portion of the tube associated with the aperture, in circumferential overlapping relation with respect to the portion 13b when the connector is mounted therein. To this end, a terminal 40 of a type similar to the terminal 15 above described, is illustrated as having a first portion 41 soldered to a Wire 42. As shown in FIG. 11 the terminal 40 has a receptacle portion 43 adapted for receipt and soldering thereto of another wire 44.

As may be seen, because the portion 13bof the tube 11 circumscribes the portion 43 of the terminal 40, it is necessary that the insulator 10 be slipped over the wire 44, the wire soldered to the portion 43 of the terminal 40, and thereafter the insulator slipped over the portion 43. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1ll3, the pol.- tion of the tube having an aperture 14 therein is then placed in circumferential overlapping relation with the portion 13b of the tube. It is a simple matter to insert the terminal end of a length of flexible material such as wire or the like 45, which wire is looped around the portion 13b, through the aperture 14, back around the outer covering associated with the aperture, and twist the wire so as to form a quick, easy and holdfast connection of the insulator to the connector.

It should be recognized that the wire 45 could be integral with the portion 13b of the tube 11, and connected to the same side of the tube as the aperture 14. In this manner an insulator 10 could be constructed specifically and specially for connections wherein the wires are to be soldered or welded directly to the terminal.

As stated above, the insulating material is preferably a flexible material such as rubber or any of the well known flexible plastics. However, the most economical method of manufacturing the insulator is to use a plastic material having insulating qualities, such as polyvinyl chloride, heat the plastic and extrude it in tubular form as in the extruder 50 illustrated in FIG. 1. As the continuous length of tube 51 leaves the extruder it is in an extremely pliable and soft state which necessitates cooling of the same, as in the cooler 52, and thereafter it is only necessary to provide a stamping operation as by a stamp press 53 having dies therein which cut the tube 51 into the correct length, slit the tube 11 longitudinally thereof from one end thereof and punch an aperture 14 therein. It should be recognized that the cutting step, the

slitting step and the punching step may be accomplished in one operation.

same which will permit of a sure and complete insulation between the terminal encompassed thereby and adjacent surfaces.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the method of operation, details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be made Without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. An insulator for a terminal, said terminal having at least one portion for connecting a wire thereto, said insulator comprising: an open ended tube having means defining a'slit extending longitudinally from one end thereof, and a circumferentially closed portion adapted to receive said portion of said terminal, said slit length less than the tube length and greater than the length of said portion of said terminal to be enclosed by said circumferentially closed portion of said tube, at least one aperture in the wall of said tube'adjacent'to and spaced from said one end, said aperture circumferentially positioned substantially opposite said means defining a slit, said one end adapted to be placed in circumferential overlapping said slit extends from said one end at least one-half of the length of said tube.

5. An insulator for a terminal having a tubular receptacle for receiving a connector or the like therein, and at least one otherportion transverse to the receptacle for receiving a wire and the like therein, said insulator comprising an open ended tube of flexible insulating material having means defining a slit extending longitudinally from one of said open ends at least one half of its length but less than its full length, and an aperture in said tube adjacent to and spaced from said one open end, said aperture having a circumferential position substantially opposite said means defining a slit, said receptacle portion of said terminal fittable in the non-slitted portion of said tube whereby said slitted portion of said tube may be folded transverse of its longitudinal axis over said one other portion of said terminal and said aperture aligned axially of said receptacle to permit entry therein of a connector.

6. A sheath for a terminal having at least one projection, said sheath comprising: an open ended tube having means defining a slit extending longitudinally from one end thereof, and a circumferentially closed tubular portion to receive said projection of said terminal, said slit having a length less than the tube length and greater than the length of said projection receivable by said circumferentially closed portion; means defining at least one aperture in the wall of said tube adjacent to and spaced from said one end, said aperture circumferentially positioned substantially opposite said means defining a slit, said one end adapted to be positioned in circumferential overlapping relation with said tubular portion of said tube.

7. A sheath for a terminal in accordance with claim 13 including means connecting said means defining an aperture to said tubular portion.

8. A terminal and sheath combination, comprising: a terminal having at least one tubular projecting portion for connection to a first conductive element, and a second portion for permitting at least a second conductive element to be connected transversely thereto; an open ended tube having means defining a slit extending longitudinally from one end of said tube, and having a circumferentially closed portion circumscribing said tubular projecting portion of said terminal; said slit length less than the length of the tube and greater than the tubular projecting portion of said terminal; means defining at least one aperture in the wall of said tube adjacent to and spaced from said one end, said aperture circumferentially positioned substantially opposite said means defining a slit; said one end being in circumferential overlapping relation with said circumferentially closed portion of said tube; and means connecting said means defining an aperture to said circumferentially closed portion.

9. A terminal and sheath combination in accordance with claim 8 wherein said aperture is aligned axially of the tubular projecting portion of said terminal, and including said first conductive element, said first conductive element extending through said aperture into said tubular projecting portion thereby forming said connecting means.

10. A terminal and sheath combination in accordance with claim 8 wherein said connecting means includes a length of flexible material having terminal ends extending through said aperture and Wrapped around the exterior of said slit portion of said tube connecting said slit portion to said circumferentially closed portion of said tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 265,746 10/1882 Brewtnall.

2,206,471 7/1940 Taylor 174-5 2,416,113 2/1947 Mueller 339213 X 2,429,585 10/1947 Rogoff 174-84 2,437,884 3/1948 Maynard 264 2,740,101 3/1956 Betts.

2,819,719 1/1958 Utley et a1. 128-350 2,941,027 6/1960 Svec 17472 3,107,273 10/1963 Schinske et al. 174-l38 LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN INSULATOR FOR A TERMINAL, SAID TERMINAL HAVING AT LEAST ONE PORTION FOR CONNECTING A WIRE THERETO, SAID INSULATOR COMPRISING: AN OPEN ENDED TUBE HAVING MEANS DEFINING A SLIT EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY FROM ONE END THEREOF; AND A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY CLOSED PORTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID PORTION OF SAID TERMINAL, SAID SLIT LENGTH LESS THAN THE TUBE LENGTH AND GREATER THAN THE LENGTH OF SAID PORTION OF SAID TERMINAL TO BE ENCLOSED BY SAID CIRCUMFERENTIALLY CLOSED PORTION OF SAID TUBE, AT LEAST ONE APERTURE IN THE WALL OF SAID TUBE ADJACENT TO AND SPACED FROM SAID ONE END, SAID APERTURE CIRCUMFERENTIALLY POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE SAID MEANS DEFINING A SLIT, SAID ONE END ADAPTED TO BE PLACED IN CIRCUMFERENTIAL OVERLAPPING RELATION WITH SAID CIRCUMFERENTIALLY CLOSED PORTION OF SAID TUBE. 